2025 And 2026 Are Going To Be Amazing Years For Wargames
The realm of military simulation gaming, also known as the “wargame,” has been evolving dramatically, and in 2025, the genre has moved beyond simple tabletop chits and hexes to become a sphere of stunning visual realism and profound historical detail that’s able to amass a bigger and historically-loving audience.
In this list, I’ll be going over the top 10 wargames to look forward to in 2025 and 2026. I have played a couple of these already, and I have to tell you that I’m extremely excited for the number one spot on this list, as it’s one of my most anticipated games not only for 2026, but it has been for the longest time. From the battlefields of antiquity with Strategos and Carthage Bellum Punicum, the Spanish Civil War, and World War 2, all the way to the modern day with The Last General, there are plenty of wargames to be excited about, so let’s go over them!
10 – Modern Naval Warfare
Let’s start this list with a banger so impressive that the United States Military came in and swooped it. That’s right, I’m talking about Modern Naval Warfare, an upcoming, highly detailed submarine combat simulator being developed by The Maslas Bros and published by Matrix Games/Slitherine Ltd. The game set out, from the get-go, to be a next-generation naval simulator, focusing initially on putting the player in command of the cutting-edge U.S. Navy SSN-774 Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine. This simulation is designed for unprecedented detail, allowing players to manage intricate ship systems, advanced sensors, and a wide array of weapons like torpedoes, mines, and missiles from a highly detailed 3D control room that includes VR support. If this does well, and I’m sure it will, then what we might have in here is a fantastic platform for DLC and modding, allowing games everywhere to create content for this rich and unprecedented naval simulator.
9 – Sudden Strike 5
Sudden Strike 5 is an upcoming real-time tactics (RTT) wargame set during World War II, and it too is going to come out in 2026. This is going to be the fifth installment in the long-running and beloved Sudden Strike franchise. Similar to its predecessor, Sudden Strike 5 is going all out in content, as the game will feature a 25-mission single-player campaign spanning historical battlefields in Europe and North Africa. Players will command an extensive arsenal of over 300 authentic units, including more than 190 vehicles (from planes to tanks and everything else in between) and 110 infantry units. I’m very interested to see how the game is going to pan out, and if they’re going to improve on the amount of depth the tactical combat needs, because everything else, from content to graphics, is pretty much on point.
8 – Carthage: Bellum Punicum
From the look and feel of Carthage: Bellum Punicum, I can instantly tell that this upcoming real-time strategy/tactics wargame is going to capture a lot of the historical crowd. Focused on the intense conflict of the Second Punic War, with a planned release date of 2026 for PC. Carthage: Bellum Punicum is a wargame that puts players in the role of Carthaginian General Hannibal Barca, commanding his epic march against Rome through Iberia and across the Alps. The gameplay combines a grand strategic campaign layer with highly detailed, real-time tactical battles, featuring a unique visual style inspired by popular historical YouTube channels like HistoryMarche. The game is designed for historical authenticity and strategic depth. The campaign mode allows players to manage critical aspects like vulnerable supply lines, recruit mercenaries, and make strategic choices through dynamic events, all while interacting with the Carthaginian Senate. I really hope that this is the sort of game that will be used as a basis for future expansions, because there’s a lot of potential in here.
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